Concentrator.



No. 645,533. Patented Mar. l3, I900.

J. MAULDIN.

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(Application filed Feb. 16, 1899.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

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J. MAULDIN.

GONGENTRATOR.

[Application filed Feb. 16, 1899.)

(No Modal.) 3 Sheets-Sheat 2.

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No. 645,533. Patented Mar. l3, I900.

.1. MAULDIN.

GDNCENTBATUB.

(Application filed tab. 16 188 NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MAULDIN, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- TIIIRDS TO HENRY E. KLEINSORGE, AND WILLIAM E. KLEINSORGE,

OF SAME PLACE.

coNoENTaAi'os.

v I g I We SPECIFICATION forming art of Letters Patent No. 645,533, dated March 13, 1900.

I Application filed February 16, 1899. Serial No. 705,663. (No modeh) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MAULDIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Sacramento, in the county of Sacramento and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Concentrators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for extracting gold from river or sea sands or from other similar deposits in which it may be found, and has for its object to provide an apparatus which will thoroughly treat the sand or other finely-divided material in a continuous process and recover the values therefrom by a wholly mechanical process and with a minimum expenditure of work;

My invention consists in certain'novel features of construction, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a complete apparatus embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the head end 'of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section of the apparatus, taken just forward of the gold-box and looking toward the tailings end. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the riftle tray. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are respectively an edge View, a fragmentary bottom View, and an enlarged longitudinal section of the same. Figs. 9, 10, and 11 are respectively an enlarged perspective of one of the riffle-plates and enlarged fragmentary views, illustrating the manner of adjusting the riffle-openings through which the gold escapes to the goldbox. Fig. 12 shows the preferred form of camwheel.

1 represents the frame of the apparatus, upon which is mounted a reciprocating carriage 2, which is confined between guides 3 3 and rests upon rollers 4, journaled between said guides. (See Fig. 2.)

5 represents the sluice, which is mounted upon the carriage, being preferably elevated by a bolster 6 at one end, so as to give it an inclined set, and this sluice is fed through a hopper 7 from a receiving-box 8, in which the coarser material containing no values is ar- I rested by a perforated bottom 9. The receiving-box 8 is preferably supported by truiinions 8 between standards 10, in order that itmay be conveniently dumped when desired. 7

The sluice is preferably provided with a cover 11 and has a tailings-outlet 12, which dis charges into a trough 13, where tlie'character of the tailings may be examined and the operation of the apparatus determined at any lapped position, so that the flange 17 of each riffle-plate projects above the lower end of the preceding riffle-plate, and thus provides the riffle for arresting the gold in a manner well known in apparatus of this character. To provide for the constant operation of the apparatus and the collection of the gold as fast as it'is separated out from the lighter particles which pass onto the 'tailings-outlet, the riffies 17 are'spaced slightly above the rifl'le-plates, which theyoverlap, and in this manner form restricted horizontal passages through which the gold may escape to the under side of the rifile-trayand into the pas,- sage 21 at the bottom of the sluice.

19 represents longitudinal ribs which divide the tray into the sections described, and 20 are cross-bars which form the grating to support the riffle -plates. Each rifle-plate has its lower end resting upon a cross-bar 20, while its upper end overlaps the lower end of the preceding riffle-plate and is spaced slightly above it by means of the wedges 22, (see Figs. 10 and 11,) and the parts are held in these relative positions by screws 23. The screws 23 enter the cross-bars 20 and in connection with the wedges 22 offer a complete and accurate means for adjusting the openings 18, and thereby regulating the operation of the apparatus to a nicety. The passage 21 beneath the riftle -tray communicates through a depression 24 at the lower end of thesluice with aflexible tube 25,which leads to the gold-box 26.

It is to be noted that all of the parts beneath the riffle-tray are water-tight. Previous to starting the machine water is introduced until the concentrates-box or gold-boX is filled, and the water rises in the flexible tube, fills the space beneath the riffle-tray, and rises up to the level of the tailings-outlet. The sand or other deposit in which the gold is contained in finely-divided state is. delivered into the straining or screening box 8 along with an adequate quantity of water, the sand being, if desired, pumped directly into the box, where the gravel or larger particles are arrested, while the fine particles containing the gold pass through into a hopper 7 and are delivered upon the upper end of the rifile-screen 14:. The water, together with the lighter particles of matter held in suspension, passes over the riffle-tray and out through the tailings-passage 12, while the gold, being heavier, is caught by the riffies 17 and settles through the openings 18 into the longitudinal passages 21 to the depression 24 and thence through the flexible tube 25 into the gold-box 26. As the gold accumulates the water may escape upward through the tube into the vibrating sluice, the gold naturally settling by its greater weight. By this apparatus it is practicable to have the sand delivered into the box 8 in continuous process, and the operation will be continually performed in a satisfactory manner. The tailings are at all times subject to examination in the trough 13, so that the character of work which the apparatus is doing may be determined, and if the separation is not complete an appropriate adjustment of the rifiieplates may be made.

During the operation of the apparatus it is desirable to maintain a continual vibration of the sluice-box, and for this purpose I employ a pitman 27, connected at one end to the carriage 2 and at its other end to a dog 28, which is pivoted to a bracket 28* and is engaged by a toothed cam-wheel29. Another dog 30, engaging on the opposite side of the wheel 29, is connected by a link 30 with the dog 28 and is pivoted to a bracket 31, mounted on a standard 32. Rotation is imparted to the wheel 29 by a pulley 33, and the effect is to impart to the coupled dogs 28 and 30, and through them and the pitman 27 to the carriage 2, a short and abrupt vibratory movement. Rotation of the pulley 33 may be effected by hand or other power. The camwheel 29 is preferably made in the form shown in Fig. 12-that is to say, with teeth 29 and intervening spaces 29.

Having thus fully described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein 2 and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a sluice-box, the combination of the longitudinal ribs 10, the transverse bars 20 and the riffle-plates 16 formed with riffles 17 presented with their vertical faces against the flow of water, overlapped with spaces 18 between them and secured upon thecrossbars 20 between the ribs 19, and wedges 22 inserted between the overlapped portion of said plates, above said cross-bars; substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth. a

2. In a rifiie-tray, the combination of the cross-bars 20, the riffle-plates 16 provided with downturned end flanges and each having its lower end flange resting upon a cross} bar and with its upper end fiangeoverlapping the next higher riffle-plate with interposed wedges maintaining openings at the bases of the riffles, and presented against the flow of water, and screws 23 passing through the overlapped ends of the riffie-plates impinging the wedges, and securing the plates to the cross-bars; substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

3. In ariffle-tray, the, combination of a suitable supporting means,the riflle-plates mount ed upon said supporting means with their ends overlapped substantially as described, the wedges 22 for defining the openings between the overlapped ends of the riflie-plates,

3 and the screws 23, all arranged substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In an apparatus for separating gold from sand or like deposits, the combination of a water-tight sluice-box having a rifiie-tray with openings at the bases of the riffles and provided with chambers above and below the riffle-tray, a tailings-opening above the tray through which the upper chamberdischarges, and. a tightly-closed receptacle having watertight communication with the chamber be neath the tray; substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In an apparatus for separating gold from sand or like deposits, the combination of a sluice-box having a riffle-tray with riffl'es presented with their vertical faces against the flow of water and openings at the bases of the riffles and provided with chambers or pas-' sages above and below the riffle-tray, a tailin gs-opening through which the passage above the tray discharges, an outlet communicating with a tightly-closed receptacle with which the lower passage communicates, and means for imparting longitudinal vibration to the sluice-box; substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a concentrator the combination of a vibrating sluice provided with a riffle-tray with riffles presented with their vertical faces in opposition to the fiow of water with openings at the bases of the riffles and with a tight chamber below the tray and a chamber above the tray having a tailings-discharge, a tight value-box below the sluice and a tight communication between the lower tight sluiceehamber and the tight value-box.

JOHN MAULDIN. lVitnesses:

H. E. KLEINSORGE, W."E. KLEINSORGE. 

